Institute Builds Leadership In Parents

Meriden Program Seeking Applicants

In the fall, about 20 city parents will have the opportunity to learn about those tools during the Parent Leadership Training Institute being offered for the first time.

The institute, which is sponsored by Meriden's Children First Initiative and the Commission on Children in Hartford, will give parents the opportunity to boost leadership skills.

The program covers topics such as public speaking, forming useful coalitions, becoming familiar with state and federal law and developing strategies for action.

Nancy Wogman, executive director of Meriden's Children First Initiative, said she has sent out hundreds of applications for the program, some of them directly to parents and others through churches, social service agencies and other civic groups. The deadline for applications is Friday.

The free 20-week program will begin with a daylong retreat on Sept. 13. Classes will be held Tuesdays from 5 to 9 p.m. starting Sept. 16 for 10 weeks and resume Jan. 5 for the remaining 10 weeks.

Dinner for the entire family, child care and transportation, if needed, will be provided for the parents during the program.

``We're trying to make it as easy as possible for parents to participate in this,'' Wogman said. ``We want to provide a quality experience for the entire family.''

Elaine Zimmerman, executive director of the Commission on Children, said the leadership institute started in Hartford five years ago.

``We founded it because we wanted parents to become leading advocates for children,'' she said. ``We found that they lacked the skills to have voice, but they didn't lack the motivation to change their children's lives. What was missing was the democracy skills and civic skills to practice as a way for creating change.''

Zimmerman said one of the phrases she often hears is: ``But I'm just a parent. I have no voice. I have no impact.''

She said how parents get to those phrases is an important question and one that is explored during the training.

``We're really glad that Meriden is coming in,'' she said. The leadership institute is also offered in Windham, Groton, New London, Norwich, New Haven and Stamford.

Norwalk will also be joining the program in the fall.

Wogman said she is hoping to attract people ranging from teen parents to older people raising grandchildren.

Michele McDonald, of Hartford, participated in the training institute in January 1996. It changed her life. She now works for the Commission on Children.

``It gave me the tools that I needed to make changes not just in my children's life, but in my life and in my community,'' McDonald said.